Special Guest Star (1)

James Frain is the oldest of eight children. His father was a stockbroker and his mother a teacher. Born in Leeds, Yorkshire, James was raised in Essex. He has a degree in drama from the University of East Anglia and also graduated from London's Central School of Speech and Drama. He was discovered by Sir Richard Attenborough who directed him alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins in 1993's Shadowlands, Frain's feature film debut. Other roles include Kenny in Nothing Personal, Alvaro de la Quadra in Elizabeth, and Daniel Barenboim in Hilary and Jackie. James has gained a higher profile, appearing in Titus, again alongside Anthony Hopkins, and with his phenomenal portrayal of Forney in Where the Heart Is, opposite Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd. In 2002, James appeared in the remake of The Count of Monte Cristo with James Caviezel and Guy Pierce. Most recently, James has appeared in the television series The Tudors as Thomas Cromwell.moreless

Quotes (8)

Frain: (On why he doesn't want to be famous) Most actors I would guess are playing the celebrity game to get access to work he says. Certainly no one I know is into fame, because then it becomes a dangerous game, a Faustian pact. I mean even doing interviews, I never used to think about that when I used to imagine being an actor.

James Frain: (On Almeida theater) Jonathan and Ian have managed to create a real sense of event around going to the theater - you always feel that something original and different will happen when you see something at the Almeida. That's because they are completely fearless and bold in both the things - either new plays or classics - and the people they choose to work with. They take risks and are always pushing in every direction. Their ambition is endless. I think it's also telling that they've now decided to leave. They recognise that theatre is about immediacy and that it always requires fresh blood to reinvent itself. What do you make of working in a converted bus shelter? It's great. I love the idea of performing in different and untraditional spaces. It is a bit tricky sometimes to judge the acoustics, though.

James Frain: (When asked who he would like to swap places with) I'd swap places with Richard Burbage or someone else in Shakespeare's original company so I could play all those wonderful parts for the first time.

James: (When asked if he prefers film or stage) It's sort of ridiculous to compare the two because they're so different. But I do prefer film. Film is about the spontaneous and natural moment. It should be the same in theater but it's not. Also, and I know this is opposite to what many people say, I think film is the actor's medium and theater is the director's. On stage, the director chooses what play is done and then determines the style and tone of the performance - it's all about the director's vision. With film, that's not so much the case and they never tell you to be anything but natural. In theatre, the term 'natural' is used in a disparaging fashion. I like to come back to the theater, though, because of the writing.

James Frain: (On filming The Count of Monte Cristo during the summer) It was a big Disney film we were shooting in Malta. Richard Harris was doing all the miserable stuff inside a prison, and I was doing all the fun stuff.